Apollo Home Cares and St. Vincent de Paul Select Winner in Heating and Air Giveaway

Apollo Home recently partnered with Cincinnati charitable organization St. Vincent de Paul to find a winner for a brand new heating and air system. The winner applied through the Apollo Home Cares program and was selected by team members from both organizations.

On April 22, 2019, the CEO of Apollo Home, Jamie Gerdsen surprised the winner at her house.  

Heating and Air Giveaway Winner

“Thanks to the efforts of St. Vincent de Paul and to everyone who helped spread the word, we found the Osornio family,” said Gerdsen.

Irena Osornio, a widow, raises three teenagers while working as a housekeeper. Her oldest child was prematurely born and has hydrocephalus and cerebral palsy. He needs a great deal of assistance with activities of daily living and uses a wheelchair.

Mrs. Osornio described how last winter, the family slept in the same room using only a space heater. She expected to have to do the same this summer with a single AC unit.

People with hydrocephalus and cerebral palsy are often affected by changes in barometric pressure and temperature. Pressure changes often manifest in headaches and joint pain while cold temperatures stiffen muscles and joints. This makes it more difficult to extend limbs or to bear weight.

Mrs. Osornio described a functional heating and cooling system for their home as simply, “life-changing.”

“We’re so happy to make this Apollo Home Cares gift to our Cincinnati neighbor with the help of St. Vincent de Paul,” continued Jamie Gerdsen, Apollo Home CEO.

“Our teams know heating and air is more than just comfort. So often, proper heating and cooling is about health and safety, too. There are many Cincy residents who have health issues complicated by a lack of functional and efficient heating and cooling,” said Gerdsen.

“Finally, there’s efficiency. We know many people have an older and less efficient system, which costs a lot to run. This sometimes creates a dilemma as people must choose between heating and air and other household expenses. An energy-efficient system provides better comfort, reduces health and safety concerns as well as keeps energy bills in check,” Gerdsen added.

Apollo Home

Apollo Home has served the home services needs of the greater Cincinnati area since 1910. Beginning with heating, Apollo Home later incorporated the “new invention” of air conditioning in the 1950s.

Since then, Apollo Home added plumbing and electrical services as well as air quality solutions and maintenance agreements into their company to better serve Cincinnati residents.

Apollo Home Cares is the philanthropic arm of the company. It includes several employee and corporate charitable projects. Recently, Apollo Home Cares sponsored a rescue dog to provide companionship and assistance to a local veteran.

With a drive to serve, Apollo Home has received awards such as “Best of Cincinnati” for Home Services from Cincinnati City Beat magazine, Contractors of the Year from the Air Conditioning Contractors of America, Angie’s List Super Service Award and an A+ Accredited Business rating from the Better Business Bureau.

St. Vincent de Paul

For more than 150 years, the Cincinnati District Council has worked with Cincinnati and Hamilton County neighbors. More than 900 volunteers live their faith in service to others whether it’s offering comfort to those alone, food to a single parent, or coats to last the cold Ohio winters.

St. Vincent de Paul works personally via home visits to those in need. This personalization is a hallmark of our service to the “dispersed poor” in neighborhoods throughout greater Cincinnati. Regardless of creed or race, we offer spiritual, emotional and material assistance where needed.

Although affiliated with an international association, we are very much a grassroots effort. The Cincinnati Council raises money and personalizes programs specific to the needs of our local residents.

Where applicable, we draw on best practices of other councils but our focus is always on what’s most effective for our local community. We are “neighbors helping neighbors.”